Flamefall is the kind of book that becomes an intensified experience when you read it under the cover of a rainstorm. I was riveted from the moment I opened this book, and let me just tell you, I couldn’t imagine this story going the way that it did. It’s intricate and so incredibly well thought out. Everything feels like it’s being held back for the right moment to be revealed and when it finally is…wow. It’s simply a phenomenal way to craft a story. On top of that, your connection to the characters will triple. Lee, Annie, and Griff will make you want to weep by the end of this book. And of course, we simply cannot forget the dragons! Get it on your TBR list, because you’re going to want it on your shelf!
If you haven’t read Fireborne yet, what are you waiting for?! Make sure to get it on your list, and come back to this review once you’ve finished it. It will be well worth the wait.
In Flamefall, the Dragonlords fled a revolution and settled in New Pythos, getting ready for the day that they overtake their usurpers and claim the land they believe they have the rightful claim to. They’ll start by destroying the Callipolan food supply, and then coming for the dragonriders. In Callipolis, Annie has become the nation’s Firstrider but at the cost of the trust of her people. Lee is struggling to find his footing after the death of his family member, does he keep up with the façade of the regime, or join the revolutionaries? Then there’s Griff, the lowborn dragon rider serving a cruel dragonlord in New Pythos. With his protection gone, he will finally have to make the decision between his oppressor or the freedom of his people with the aid of a certain Callipolan Firstrider. These three are going to have to figure out what to fight for, and who to love.
There’s a certain intensity to this story that I feel can’t really be found in other books. The political aspects and ideologies are something that I didn’t think I would feel connected to, but Rosaria Munda has this incredible ability to make you care for the politics of this book. There are several systems in place that are at odds, and what’s even more fascinating, I feel like readers will get to see the downfalls of even the most well meaning ideologies. Blend this with Annie, Lee, and Griff’s perspectives and you have this phenomenal story that not only combines amazing world building, but that character building is impeccable.
I loved exploring Annie and Lee in more depth than in the first book. They’re both going through a lot, and there’s definitely a shift in their attitudes that I think brings a real connection between the reader and the characters. In Fireborne I feel like I really sympathised with Lee a lot more than Annie, but boy did I change my mind in Flamefall. There’s a line in this book that serves a true gut punch and it’s about burying the dead. I couldn’t quite see the inspiration Munda had when writing Fireborne, but it truly shines in Flamefall. Annie’s journey is constantly straddling the edge of a knife’s blade, and much like chess, she’s carefully planning her next move in order to win.
Lee’s decision making gets significantly impacted in this book, and I spent half the book a little mad at him because he seemed to be self-destructing. However, there’s something deeper going on, which is the fact that he’s battling some PTSD on top of anxiety and possibly some depression. As he and Annie begin to disagree on how to achieve their end goals, you start seeing how destabilising it is for Lee’s mental health.
Griff’s perspective is the most heartbreaking of the three, and I felt for him throughout the entire book. Without his perspective though, I feel like we’d miss a lot of the issues that are prevalent from having a hierarchical system.
With everything going on in this book, romance almost doesn’t even seem to be part of the equation, but Munda manages to pull out these sweet moments between certain characters that just tugs at your heart. There’s also the moments of friendship that made my heart so happy, especially because it just emphasizes the relationships that these characters have made can transcend just being people in a room working as part of a squad. Crissa especially shines in this respect, and I cannot wait to see how her character will grow/change in the next book. I wasn’t expecting her to rise up, but when she did, she buffered a lot of the harsh edges that Annie and Lee have.
We absolutely cannot forget the dragons. They’re still amazingly impressive, and Aela is my favourite by far.
The story moves at a fast pace, but does so in a way that feels easy to get through. It’s balanced in terms of action vs. politics vs. character interactions. This book has the time and balance for all of it without being overwhelming in any aspect. I truly feel like this is a versatile book that a lot of readers would enjoy. I certainly have no complaints aside from a wish for Munda to hurry and finish the third book.
Flamefall is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
Revolutionary flames ignite around Annie, Lee, and a brand new POV character in the second book of the Fireborne trilogy.
After fleeing the revolution and settling into the craggy cliffs of New Pythos, the Dragonlords are eager to punish their usurpers–and reclaim their city. Their first order of business was destroying the Callipolan food supply. Now they’re coming for the Dragonriders.
Annie is Callipolis’s new Firstrider, and while her goal has always been to protect the people, being the government’s enforcer has turned her into public enemy number one.
Lee struggles to find his place after killing kin to prove himself to a leader who betrayed him. He can support Annie and the other Guardians . . . or join the radicals who look to topple the new regime.
Griff, a lowborn dragonrider who serves New Pythos, knows he has no future. And now that Julia, the Firstrider who had protected him, is dead, he is called on to sacrifice everything for the lords that oppress his people–or to forge a new path with the Callipolan Firstrider seeking his help.
With famine tearing Callipolis apart and the Pythians determined to take back what they lost, it will be up to Annie, Lee, and Griff to decide what to fight for–and who to love.
